Hidden Ghosts
by Toomanyobsessionstocount
Summary: Prince Legolas is killed in an orc ambush. Ten years later, Estel and the twins find a clue that leads them to believe that Legolas' death was not as it seemed. Can they catch the real culprit and restore peace in Mirkwood?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Guys! So, this is _Hidden Ghosts_, my new fanfic. I absolutely _love_ LOTR, and I'm super excited about this fic. Just a note, this chapter takes place about 80 years before the LOTR series, and about 20 years before _The Hobbit_. This makes Estel (Aragorn) 6 for this chapter.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own The Lord of the Rings series, as much as I would like to. This amazing and super awesome series belongs to the genius mind of J.R.R. Tolkein.**

_Mirkwood_

Amras, captain of Mirkwood, walked down the walls of the elvenking's palace. His head was bowed, and his feet dragged. In his arms he carried a bundle of cloth, and occasionally the sound of clinking metal could be heard from the bundle. Grief and fear clouded his mind, as he tried to find the words he would have to utter in only a few moments. Amras would have given anything to be any other creature- even a dwarf- if it meant that he wouldn't have to face his king.

The captain was so caught up in his thoughts that he never realized that he had reached the large wooden doors of King Thranduil's study. A slight cough from one of the guards brought Amras out of his stupor. Startled, he looked at the doors, swallowed once, and knocked. A voice replied from inside. "Enter." Pale-faced, the captain opened the doors with shaky hands

Inside the office sat King Thranduil. As Amras entered, the King looked up and said "Captain, come in."

"Hir nin, I bring news from the southern patrol." Amras' voice trembled as he addressed his king.

"Really? What word does my son send?"

At this, Amras found that his voice refused to work. Instead, he simply brought forward the bundle in his arms and laid it on Thranduil's desk.

An agonized cry caused the doors to burst into the office. The scene before the Mirkwood soldiers caused them to stare in horror. King Thranduil, tears streaming down his face, payed them no attention as he continued to gaze at the two long, white knives that lay on his desk.

_Rivendell_

" 'Ro, 'Ro, Help me!"

Elrohir Elrondion barely had time to turn around before he was nearly knocked over by a small body. The elf steadied the young child in front of him and asked, "What exactly do you need help with Estel?"

" 'Dan's chasing me. He's trying to tickle me!"

"Tickle you? Well, don't worry tithen pen, I'll protect you!"

_ "_Are you sure about that muindor?

Estel and Elrohir looked up to see Elladan, Elrohir's twin, walking towards them with a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye. As his brother approached, Estel squealed and hid behind the younger twin. Elrohir grinned at Elladan, before turning to Estel and saying, "Run Estel, he's found us!" At this he scooped the human child into his arms and took off down the hall. Laughter filled the house of Elrond as the brothers chased each other.

The chase came to an abrupt halt as Elrohir nearly collided with Erestor. Lord Elrond's advisor simply raised an eyebrow as Elladan came skidding to a stop next to his brother. He then addressed the twins. "Your father requests your presence in his office", he said gravely.

Elrohir and Elladan glanced at each other, then back at Erestor. Although the elf was serious by nature, his face carried an unusual trace of solemnity.

Estel was oblivious to both Erestor's seriousness and his brothers' confusion. "Can I go talk to Ada too?"

Erestor looked at the young child with a small smile on his face. "Actually Estel, I believe it is time for your lessons. You can go see your father later."

"But-"

"Come, Estel. Your father needs to talk to your brothers alone." With that, Erestor took Estel's hand and led him off down the hall.

The twins watched them leave, then turned around and started in the opposite direction, towards Elrond's study.

"Erestor was serious today, don't you think?"

Elladan turned towards his brother. "He's always serious."

"I mean, more serious than usual. He seemed almost…grim."

"I wouldn't worry about it, 'Ro. Erestor always makes a big deal out of everything. He's probably just upset about Glorfindel ruining his filing system."

"We were the ones who ruined his filing system."

"Erestor doesn't need to know that."

Elrohir grinned at his brother as they reached Elrond's office. Elladan knocked once, and without waiting for a response, entered. "Ada, Erestor said you wan - Cylamas!"

The twins rushed in to greet the blond elf in the office. The second prince of Mirkwood was one of their closest friends. When together, the three, along with Cylamas' younger brother, often caused the inhabitants of both Rivendell and Mirkwood to hide safely in their rooms.

Cylamas, a tall elf with platinum-blonde hair and light grey eyes, was startled as the twin sons of Elrond Embraced him, but quickly relaxed and returned the hug as Elladan and Elrohir bombarded him with various statements and questions.

"We haven't seen you in ages!"

"What are you doing here? You never leave the forest!"

"Is Legolas with you?"

At this, Cylamas stiffened and pulled away from the twins, halting their rapid-fire questions. Elladan and Elrohir stared at their friend in confusion and worry. Although Cylamas was more studious and quiet than his brothers, he was never this solemn. As they looked at him, the twins saw Cylamas' pale face and the shadows in his eyes. "Cylamas, is something wrong?"

Lord Elrond, who was silent as his sons greeted their friend, decided to intervene. "Cylamas brands us news from Mirkwood", he stated quietly.

Elrohir glanced at his father. Lord Elrond's usually calm face was full of grief, something the twins had not seen since their mother had sailed to Valinor. "Ada, what is it?"

"My brother is dead."

Elladan and Elrohir whirled around to stare at Cylamas, who now had tears pouring down his face. They couldn't have heard him right, for it sounded like their friend had said-

When the twins showed no sign of coming out of their trance, Elrond sighed, and led his sons over to a set of chairs. At this, Elladan finally reacted and managed to croak out "Cylamas, please tell me I didn't just hear what I thought I heard…"

"Don't make me say it again", Cylamas whispered miserably, destroying the twins' small hope of a misunderstanding.

"Who?" Elrohir asked timidly. "Was it Aerandir, or…"

"Legolas", Cylamas said, his voice breaking. Elrohir gave a small cry and put his head in his hands.

"Hoy did this happen?" Elrond asked quietly as his heart sunk. The youngest prince of Mirkwood had been well loved in Imladris, and news of his death would cause great mourning.

"His patrol was attacked. We suspect orcs and wargs. There were no survivors. We found the…remains in the woods."

"Remains?" Elrohir gasped.

Cylamas nodded shakily. "None of the bodies were identifiable. All of them were in…pieces. The reason we know orcs were involved was that all of the heads were missing."

"All three of the Peredhils looked ill at this statement. Suddenly Elladan jumped up. "If none of the bodies could be identified, how do you know that Legolas is dead? He could have gotten away!"

Cylamas shook his head sadly. "I wish that was true, but we found Legolas' weapons, and one of the bodies was wearing his tunic."

This last piece of evidence caused tears to stream down the twins' faces as it sunk in that their friend was truly dead. They then rushed to embrace Cylamas, this time in agony, and all three elves sank to the ground in their grief.

Elrond stood by silently, watching as a few tears slipped down his own face. "Cylamas-" he started, then stopped, as if unsure on how to continue. "Cylamas, forgive me for asking, but why are you here? Surely Aerandir and your father need you now."

Cylamas shook his head, his face full of pain. "I could not stay there anymore, my lord. My home is full of memories of Legolas, and no matter where I go it is as if someone is stabbing a dagger through my heart. My father allowed me to bring you the news because he feared I would fade if I did not leave."

Elrond nodded in understanding. His own daughter, Arwen, lived in Lothlorien with her grandparents for the vey same reason. "You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like."

Cylamas nodded "Thank you, hir nin."

Elrond smiled sadly. "Now, come. You are weary and in need of rest."

The four elves rose and exited the office. Almost immediately they ran into Estel, who was waiting outside of his fathers office. The human child's face lit up when he saw the Mirkwood elf. "Cylamas!" He squealed, and then proceeded to wrap his arms around the elf's legs.

Cylamas smiled faintly at the young human. "Hello, Estel."

"I'm so glad you're here! I haven't seen you in _ages!_" The child stopped excitedly as a thought came to him. "Is Legolas here? Did he come with you?"

At the mention of his brother, all traces of a smile faded from Cylamas' face. "No Estel", he replied, controlling his face and voice so no emotions showed. "Legolas did not come with me."

"Oh", Estel said disappointedly. He then perked up again. "Did you bring a letter? Legolas always sends a letter if he can't come."

Elrond, seeing that Cylamas was fast loosing his composure, knelt down in front of his son. "Estel", he whispered, looking into the childs grey eyes, "Estel, Legolas wasn't able to send you a letter."

"That's okay, Erestor's been teaching me how to write, so I can write _him_ a letter instead. Then he will _have_ to write me back!" Estel's face was determined, and he was oblivious to the tears that were once more flowing down Cylamas' cheek.

Elrond shook his head. "No Estel, he won't. And he won't be able to visit you again, either."

Estel's eyes grew large at the thought of never seeing his friend again. "What? Why not?"

"He has journeyed to the Hall of Mandos, ion nin."

Estel's eyes filled up with tears. "N-no. You're l-lying to me. L-l-legolas promised to come back. He can't be gone! He can't!"

Cylamas embraced the child, his own body shaking with sobs. "I know Estel, I know. I wish he was here too."

Elrond and the twins could only watch quietly, their faces full of grief, as the human and the elf mourned the lost Mirkwood Prince.

**Elvish:**

**Hir nin: **My lord

**Tithen pin: **Little one

**Muindor: **Brother

**Ada: **Father

**Ion nin: **My son

**So, that's the first chapter. I really hope you guys liked it. Please, please, please, review. If you liked it, if you hated it, or if I made a mistake somewhere, let me know. As for the next chapters, I'd like to promise that I'll update regularly, but I can't. I will continue to work on this story though, and won't abandon it. Hopefully, I'll be able to write more freely now that summer's almost here.**

**Also, thanks to the Melanarchist for beta-ing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi Everybody! Thank you so much for the reviews on the first chapter, they made me so happy! And thanks to The Melanarchist for pointing out the typo, I've fixed it! So, on to Chapter 2...**

**Disclaimer: I said it in the first chapter, and nothing has changed since then. I still don't own LOTR *chokes back a sob***

_Ten years later_

The sun had just risen over Imladris. Even though dawn had just arrived, all of the inhabitants of the House of Elrond were already moving. All except one, that is. A young, now sixteen year old human lay asleep in his bed, currently unaware of the danger lurking outside of his window.

"Ow!"

"Shush, Elladan! Do you want to wake Estel?"

"Sorry, but I just tripped on a rock."

"You're an elf 'Dan. Elves don't trip."

"We do when it's early and we're carrying a heavy bucket of water."

"Whatever, it's getting late and Estel's going to be waking soon."

With that, the twin elves started to climb up the tree that led to the balcony of Estel's room. They landed silently at a window through which they could see their brother's still form. In two seconds they crossed the room, poured the water onto the bed, and jumped back to avoid Estel's retribution.

But the pile of blankets did not move. Elrohir moved forward with a confused look at his twin. He approached the bed, pulled back the blanket, and was met with a drenched pile of pillows. The twins stared in shock at the empty bed.

"You know, it's not often that I get one up on you two."

The twins whirled around to face their human brother, who stepped out from the door of his room. Estel approached the elves with a smirk on his face at the thought of outwitting his brothers.

Said brothers grinned at each other, then proceeded to rush forward and enthusiastically shake their brothers hand.

"Yes, Estel!"

"Congratulations, you have finally managed to outwit us!"

"It must be the fact that you are finally sixteen years old and have received a sudden increase in knowledge and in stealth!"

Elladan then grinned. "However, even after living with us for fourteen long years, little brother, you still forget…"

Estel glanced at his brothers warily. "What do I forget?"

This time, it was Elrohir's turn to smirk. "You forget that we never go anywhere without a backup plan!"

"Wha-AHH!" Estel's question quickly turned into a startled yell as a bucket of ice cold water was dumped onto his head. The human sputtered, then turned around to face his new attacker.

"Happy Birthday Estel."

"Cylamas!" Estel was shocked at the appearance of the third elf. Thranduil's middle child was quiet, and often isolated himself from others. Lord Elrond's sons had tried over the past ten years to restore Cylamas to his cheerful self, but they had little success. Even though Cylamas was no longer in danger of fading, he still carried a never ending shadow in his eyes. Cylamas' participation in the twins' prank pleased Estel, even if the human was the victim of said prank. "Cylamas," Estel repeated "You're supposed to be on my side!" You can't help _them_!"

Cylamas smiled ruefully at the human. "Unfortunately, Estel, your brothers threatened to turn against me if I did not aid them in their prank. And I must admit, after your . . . attempt to introduce me to Séremela last week, it is deeply satisfying to see you taking a bath.

Estel simply glared at the Mirkwood Elf, then smirked and said "you looked like an elfling, all red-faced and stammering while trying to talk to the fair maiden. Fine then, I'll graciously accept the bath. But why did you need to do it so early?"

Elrohir stepped forward and said. "Have you forgotten Estel? You are sixteen years old today. That means that you are old enough to come on a hunt with us. The kitchens need some meat for tonight's feast, and Elladan and I were about to leave."

Estel's eyes lit up at the idea of going on a hunt. For years he had begged his brothers to allow him to join them on a hunt, but they had always refused on account of him being too young. "I can come with you?"

Elladan laughed and said "Of course! But we need to hurry. The cooks need the meat for tonight and we will need to travel near Rivendell's borders."

Estel ran towards his wardrobe, yelling "I'll be ready in ten minutes! Don't leave without me!"

Chuckling at the human's statement, all three elves left the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Estel skidded into the courtyard, carrying his sword and bow. The twins and Cylamas were waiting with Lord Elrond and Glorfindel. Estel's brow furrowed when he realised that four horses were waiting instead of the three he had expected. He looked at the Mirkwood Prince. "Cylamas, are you coming with us?"

Cylamas quickly shook his head. "No, Estel. I will remain here in Imladris." The prince had not left the borders of Rivendell since he had arrived ten years ago. When asked why, he simply replied that he had nowhere to go, since the memories of Legolas were still too painful to bear.

Estel became confused. If Cylamas wasn't accompanying the twins and their younger brother, then who was?

Lord Elrond decided to answer Estel's unasked question. "Lord Glorfindel will accompany you and the twins on this trip."

"Ada!" Elladan protested, "we can take care of Estel ourselves. We have no need of a chaperone!"

"That may be". Elrond replied sternly, "but this will be Estel's first trip outside of Imladris. And in all honesty, he gets into enough trouble inside these borders. Combined with your ability to attract danger," he said, looking at the twins, "allowing the three of you to go anywhere would be asking for disaster. I'm having Glorfindel accompany you to make sure that nothing happens."

"But-"

"No Estel. I will not change my position. Glorfindel will accompany you. Besides, you will be able to catch more game with four people."

Estel looked as if he wanted to protest further, but thought better of it and nodded. He didn't want his father to change his mind about allowing him to go on this hunting trip.

Elrond smiled at his adopted sons acceptance, even if it was reluctant. "Then it's settled. Now, you must leave. The cooks will need the meat before the sun sets.

"Yes, Ada," Elladan assured his father. The twins and Estel mounted their horses, then started for the gates of Imladris.

"Glorfindel," Elrond called as the golden-haired elf was mounting his horse. The balrog slayer turned to face the Lord of Imladris. "Please keep them safe."

"I will guard them with my life," Glorfindel assured his lord, then turned his horse around and sped off after the sons of Elrond.

Hours later, Elrohir was crouched down beside Estel as the human drew his bow. The hunting party had already managed to catch two large deer, and had decided to allow Estel to shoot this last one. The buck was large, and with the other two would provide enough meat for the feast that evening. "Keep your arm steady," Elrohir whispered into his brother's ear. "Breath in, out, in- release!"

Estel released his arrow, but the arrow strayed and the startled buck leaped away. Before it could escape into the forest, though, Elladan's arrow struck it in the eye and the beast fell. Elrohir took a look at Estel's disappointed face and hastened to console his brother. "Do not worry Estel, your arrow was very close. You will improve with time."

"But I will never be as good as either of you," Estel whispered, upset with his own failure. "You and Elladan are the best archers I know."

"Not the best."Elrohir said absent-mindedly, thinking about his friend who had been hailed as the best archer in all of Middle Earth.

"Hurry up you two!" Elladan called across the glade. "Glorfindel's already attached the buck to the horse and we're needed back in Imladris in two hours!"

"We're coming!" Elrohir yelled back. He then grabbed his younger brother's arm. "Come on, Estel, when we get back I'll help you improve your archery technique. Your stance was off, that's why you missed the deer." Estel nodded glumly, and turned to follow his brother.

The hunting party had only traveled for about thirty minutes before Glorfindel stopped abruptly and signaled for the sons of Elrond to remain quiet.

The three looked at each other, then Elladan rode up to Glorfindel and questioned him "What is it?"

Glorfindel stayed still for a moment, his eyes closed in concentration. He then opened his eyes and spat out the word "Yrch!"

Elladan's eyes widened, then turned to look at Elrohir and Estel, who had by this time caught up to the two elder elves and were listening intently. He then asked the Balrog slayer, "Are we able to evade them?"

Glorfindel shook his head. "Nay, they are too close. We shall have to fight." At this, he drew his sword, and signaled for the other three to draw their weapons as well. The twins strung their bows while Estel drew his sword. They all dismounted their horses and set them loose, for the creatures would only get in the way during their skirmish. The three elves then moved to surround and protect the young human, who had not yet been tested in battle.

The group only waited for about a minute before Elrohir saw something that Estel couldn't, and released his arrow. It flew true, and an orc hidden in the trees gave an animal-like squeal. Elladan quickly followed suit, and soon about forty orcs emerged from the trees. Elrohir and Elladan released a continuous stream of arrows, but it was not enough to hold the foul beings at bay. Soon the small army was upon the four hunters, and the twins were forced to draw their swords.

At first, the quartet held their own. The three elves were fearsome warriors, and slew any who came into their path. When the orcs attempted to force the group apart, Estel would leap from behind the elves, and would cut them down with a few quick strikes of his blade. The group was able to carry on this way for a while, and killed around fifteen of their attackers. The continuous onslaught of orcs, though, were too much for the party. They were forced apart, and soon each member of the group lost track of the others.

Elrohir slew another orc, and wondered how many more were left. He glanced around for more, but there were none who were a direct threat to the son of Elrond. Using this brief respite, he turned, trying to find his companions. Glorfindel's golden hair stood out, and he quickly realised that the Noldor elf was fighting back to back with Estel. Elrohir breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Glorfindel would protect his human brother. With the knowledge that those two were safe, at least for the moment, Elrohir looked for his twin, who he found to be surrounded by the blackened flesh of their foes. As Elrohir watched, the orcs overcame Elladan, and the eldest son of Elrond fell to the ground with a sharp cry.

Elrohir felt his heart shatter. Elladan couldn't have fallen, it was impossible! The younger twin raised his sword, and with a fierce battle cry he charged the offenders. Elrohir's only thought was to reach his brother, and he would not let any foe stand in his way. In his frenzy, Elrohir failed to notice the new enemy that was coming up behind him, wielding a large club. He simply noticed a sharp pain in the back of his skull, before the ground rushed up to meet him and everything faded to black.

**Chapter 2, done! Once again, please review. Reviews make me type faster!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yay! I have a new chapter! Thanks for all of the amazing reviews for the last chapter, I loved them! So I wrote most of this chapter while having an LOTR marathon with my friends, we were trying to figure out if any of the elves in the background at Rivendell were Elladan or Elrohir. We didn't have much luck.**

**Disclaimer: It breaks my heart to say it, but I do not own LOTR or any of the associated characters.**

Estel's heart sank when he saw Elrohir fall to the ground. In his haste to reach Elladan, the younger twin didn't even notice the orc sneaking up behind him. With one large swipe of his club, the enemy succeeded in knocking Elrohir unconscious. The second son of Elrond collapsed like a rag doll, his hand still stretched forward in an attempt to grab his twin. When Estel looked at Elladan, his blood turned to ice. His eldest brother lay still and pale on the ground, unresponsive to the fight around him.

An orc blade coming towards Estel's head drew the human's thoughts away from his brothers. Now that both twins lay unconscious, the orcs focused all of their attention on Glorfindel and Estel, who fought back to back.

Estel continued to defend himself against any orcs that came too close, but he couldn't help but occasionally glance over at the twins who lay unmoving on the ground. The humans worry for his brothers increased when he saw the growing puddle of blood underneath Elladan.

Estel could hear Glorfindel continue to fight behind him, and the human struggled to match the elf's ferocity. This was his first true battle, and the young human was starting to tire. He could feel his arms trembling and sweat poured down his face. This was nothing like his spars with Elladan and Elrohir. During practice, Estel was so accustomed to his brothers' fighting styles that he could plan his reactions to their moves. Now, all Estel could focus on was not being hit by one of the orcs' weapons.

The continuous onslaught of enemies eventually forced Estel and Glorfindel apart, and it was not long after that Estel was overcome. The human was disarmed and forced to the ground. The next thing he noticed was the sword at his throat and the orc that gripped the weapon called out to Glorfindel.

"Elf!" The Balrog Slayer glanced over while continuing to fight. He managed to decapitate one more orc before he noticed Estel on the ground and froze. Even though Glorfindel no longer fought, the orcs were still wary about approaching the elf who had cut down so many of their own. The orc who still threatened Estel continued speaking. "If you care about this one's life at all, you will lay down your weapons."

Estel stared at Glorfindel, trying to prevent his terror from showing. His thoughts wandered to his brothers, who still lay unconscious on the ground, and silently begged them to awaken and save him from this situation. But the twins remained unresponsive, and Estel could do nothing to save himself from the situation. The young human watched as Glorfindel's eyes flickered over to Elladan and Elrohir, and then back to Estel. The youngest son of Elrond could see both anger and concern swimming in the Noldor Elf's eyes before Glorfindel threw down his sword with a snarl.

"Bind them!" The lead orc, who was called Zurgheg, growled. Within seconds both Glorfindel and Estel had their hands tied behind their backs and were brought before the head orc, who snarled and asked one of the smaller

orcs, "Is this the blond-haired elf the Master asked for?"

Estel looked at Glorfindel, a question in his eyes. The Balrog Slayer merely shrugged in response, confusion clouding his own features. The small orc quailed in front of Zurgheg and replied, "He was the only blond orc we saw. All of the other elves who entered or left Rivendell had dark hair."

The large orc growled back "This better be the one! This is the only elf left, since the last one died and the other two are unreachable." Estel watched as understanding passed through Glorfindel's eyes, which were soon filled with worry. The human still did not comprehend what the creatures were talking about, and new questions continued to fill his head. Why were the orcs looking for a blond elf? Who had died?

"We might as well take him with us", the orc said, gesturing towards Glorfindel. "If he's the only blond elf there is, then he must be the one the Master is looking for."

"What about the other ones?" one of the smaller orcs questioned, looking towards the twins, who still lay unconscious on the ground.

"We can bring the human", Zurgheg replied, "He can at least give us some sport." Estel paled at the thought of being used as entertainment for the foul creatures. "The other two will only slow us down. Kill them!"

"NO!" Estel screamed, unable to allow his brothers to die before him. Both Glorfindel and the Heir of Isildur had started to struggle, trying to reach the unconscious elves. "Elladan! Elrohir! Please!" Estel silently begged for the twins to wake up, but the sons of Elrond lay unresponsive as an orc approached them, sword in hand.

* * *

Glorfindel had seen both Elladan and Elrohir fall, but he was unable to reach them due to the orcs now focused only on him and Estel. The Balrog Slayer continued to hack at the orcs, trying to protect the young human who stood at his back.

As he turned, Glorfindel caught a glimpse of the sons of Elrond lying on the ground, and he felt his fury grow. No orc was able to come within range of the Noldor elf's sword without being cut down. Even though Glorfindel's skill remained unmatched in battle, he could feel Estel beginning to tremble. Glorfindel's worry mounted as he realized that this battle needed to end soon, before Estel fell as well.

Even with Glorfindel and Estel killing orcs as soon as the foul beasts came close enough, the two were soon driven apart by the never-ending wave of enemies. Glorfindel hacked ceaselessly at the orcs, hoping to get to Estel before it was too late.

As he continued to slash through the spawn of Mordor, Glorfindel distantly heard a gravelly voice call out, "Elf!" The Balrog Slayer turned without ceasing to fight. What he saw made him pause and made his blood run cold. A large orc stood in front of him, his sword at Estel's throat. Elrond's human son stared at him with wide eyes, pale-faced and trembling.

Glorfindel stared back at Estel, horrified at the scene before him. Two of Elrond's sons lay on the ground, one of them dying if he wasn't already dead. The third had a sword at his neck, and was poorly concealing his terror. These were his lord's sons, the ones he had sworn to protect and to keep safe. _He had failed. _With a snarl, Glorfindel threw his sword on the ground and allowed the orcs to surround him.

Glorfindel didn't pay attention to the creatures as they bound him and brought him before the orc leader, he was trying to create a plan that would allow all three of Elrond's sons to escape alive. So far, no plans were coming to mind.

What did catch his attention was when Zurgheg mentioned that he was wanted by the orcs' master. Glorfindel could see Estel quietly questioning him, but the elf merely shrugged in response. He could not think of anything he had done to deserve an orc ambush.

Everything became clear to Glorfindel when the orc mentioned the three other elves. These beasts could not be after—no! If what Glorfindel suspected was true, then he needed to get back to Rivendell. He needed to warn Elrond, he needed to warn—

The orcs had started talking again, drawing Glorfindel out of his thoughts. "He can at least give us some sport," Zurgheg was saying. At this Glorfindel saw Estel pale, and made a silent promise that even though he had failed in protecting the sons of Elrond from the orcs, he would never let the foul creatures use the human for their entertainment. His eyes widened in terror as he heard the orc's next words. "Kill them!"

"NO!" Estel screamed. Glorfindel felt like screaming himself, but was to busy trying to fight the orcs holding him. The twins could not die, he had promised Elrond he would keep them safe! These were the elves he had known since their birth, the ones he had watched grow up, the ones he had trained in swordplay. He could not let them die now! But for all his struggling, Glorfindel could not do anything to stop the orc from approaching Elladan and Elrohir, sword in hand. The orc raised his sword above Elrohir's neck and swung.

* * *

'THWISH' was the only warning they got, before the orc collapsed, an arrow in his throat. The sword the beast was holding dropped to the ground, missing Elrohir's throat by a mere inch. The group was silent for a moment, and then turned to chaos.

Arrows continued to rain from the trees, felling orcs one by one. During the confusion, Glorfindel escaped from his captors, and managed to reclaim his sword. The elf quickly slaughtered any orcs who were near him. He made his way to Estel and quickly pulled the human to safety. Elrond's youngest son could only stare in amazement as a cloaked figure dropped from the trees, and ran at the orc horde.

The figure continued to shoot arrows as he ran, each arrow finding its home in the neck of an orc. Right before their mysterious saviour reached the horde, he slung his bow onto his back and unsheathed two long daggers.

After that, he was surrounded by orcs. Estel could only see him for brief moments, flashing among foes. All the human could make out were the squeals of orcs as the creatures crumbled against his saviour's blades.

One by one the orcs were cut down, until there were only five left. These five had learned by watching their companions fall, and were wary of approaching the stranger. Zurgheg stood among the survivors, and the head orc was not about to let his mission fail. He screamed at the others, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get 'im!"

The creatures hesitated, still not wanting to face this new challenger, but fear of their Master quickly overcame their fear of death and they rushed forward. The hooded figure had taken his bow out again and shot two of the orcs before they had taken their first steps. He then grabbed his knives again, and carved his blades into the third one's stomach. The fourth orc had tried to use the being's distraction and attacked from behind, but as the foul spawn leapt at him, the cloaked saviour spun around and slit his throat.

Zurgheg watched as the last of his small army was destroyed, and in a desperate final attempt, he grabbed Elrohir, who lay near him, and put a knife to the elf's throat. "Come any closer scum, and I'll kill 'im!"

The skilled fighter rose cautiously, then looked at the orc and chuckled softly. Zurgheg didn't even have time to wonder at what his enemy was laughing about before a knife was in his throat and he slid to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Glorfindel managed to catch Elrohir before he struck the ground, as it was the Balrog Slayer who had stabbed the orc from behind. He quickly checked the younger twin for injuries, and finding none, called to Estel. "Estel! I need you to try to wake Elrohir while I tend to Elladan." The human walked over, but Glorfindel could see that he was in danger of going into shock. The stress from his first fight with orcs as well as watching his brothers almost die was taking a toll on the teen. His face was white and he was trembling all over. Glorfindel sighed sympathetically, and took the human's face in his hands. "Estel, I know that this is hard, but I need you to stay with me. You _must _watch over Elrohir while I take care of Elladan. Okay?"

At this, a new determination appeared on Estel's face and he nodded shakily. Glorfindel smiled his approval. "Good lad. Now try to wake your brother up. He might be confused, but you need to keep him awake. We don't know if he has a concussion."

Glorfindel now moved and turned Elladan over, hissing as the wound came into sight. The eldest son of Elrond had a large gash in his side, and while it hadn't hit anything vital, was still deep. Glorfindel motioned for their rescuer to come to his side and help him. The figure ran over and brought forth a pack of healing supplies, which was quickly put to use. "Thank you. You were just in time," Glorfindel murmured, trying to keep Estel from overhearing.

"There is no need for thanks" the elf, for that is what this being was, responded. "We have been friends for many years, and you have helped me when no one else could. I am simply returning the favor. That is Estel?" he asked, turning his head toward the human.

"Yes, that is Lord Elrond's adopted son. We must find shelter," Glorfindel continued, starting to rise. "I have done all for Elladan that I can here. There is a cave nearby. We can rest there for now. Can you carry him?" He asked the elf, who nodded in response. "Good. Estel, is Elrohir awake?"

"He's stirring, but he has yet to open his eyes." Estel responded, then lowered his voice. "Glorfindel, who is that elf? Do you know him?

"He has been my friend for many years, and it is a good thing he showed up when he did. I have been wanting to speak to him for a while now. Since Elrohir is not fully conscious yet, we shall have to carry him as well. Come on, Estel."

With that, Glorfindel lifted the younger twin into his arms and started off, Estel trailing behind him. The hooded elf stood still for a moment, murmured the word "Estel" and followed behind the other two, Elladan unconscious in his arms.

**Another chapter done, and we have a new character! I almost ended the chapter after that second line break, don't you love me for not giving you a horrible cliffhanger? PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me so happy to see reviews, so please tell me what you think of this chapter! i promise I won't be ****offended if you hate it, just let me know! Thanks to the Melanarchist for Beta-ing!**


	4. Chapter 4

***Waves Sheepishly* Hi Everybody! I know that this took forever to update, but I do have a reasonable explanation. I've been moving into my new dorm, and I've had band. If any of you are in marching band, then you know that it takes up your life. But here's chapter four! Please enjoy, and thank you so much for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites for that last chapter!**

As the party trudged through the wilderness, Estel pondered the appearance of the stranger. Who was he? And how had he known exactly when to appear? If not for Glorfindel, Estel would not trust this elf who still refused to show his face.

The group continued for almost twenty minutes before the stranger called, "Glorfindel!" The Balrog-Slayer turned around and raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question. "I think he's waking up!" There was something in the elf's voice that Estel couldn't identify. Was it nervousness? Excitement?

Glorfindel looked at the unconscious elf in his friend's arms and sure enough, Elrohir was stirring. Glorfindel thought for a minute before saying "That's good, but I think he should wake up and see somebody he recognizes first. So let me take Elrohir and you can carry Elladan."

The hooded elf nodded before passing Elrohir to Estel and then took Elladan into his arms. Estel then gave the younger twin to Glorfindel, who quickly checked Elrohir's head wound, before turning around and continued walking to shelter.

It was another ten minutes before Elrohir's eyes fluttered open. He stared blankly at the world around him before focusing on the blonde haired elf in front of him. "Glorfindel?"

"Aye, penneth." Glorfindel smiled at Elrond's second son. "It is good to see you awake. You gave us quite a scare."

Elrohir's brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened? I can't remember anything after- the orcs!" Panic overcame the elf's face as the memories of the attack came rushing back. "Elladan! Where is he? Is he alright?"

Glorfindel had to struggle to keep the Peredhil still in his arms. "Calm down Elrohir! Elladan is safe! He is injured, but we are taking care of him now!"

At this Elrohir calmed and searched Glorfindel's face for any trace of a lie. Finding none, he asked, "Where is he now?"

"He is being carried behind us," Glorfindel replied. Elrohir twisted in the balrog-slayer's arms to find his twin. Upon seeing elladan in the stranger's arms, he felt anxiety creep into his heart once again.

"Who is the one that is carrying him?" Elrohir asked cautiously. He did not like the idea of his twin being left injured and defenseless in the arms of an unknown elf.

"He is a friend of mine. I have known him for many years, and he is also the one who rescued us from the orcs." When Elrohir's face remained suspicious, Glorfindel sighed and added, "Elrohir, I trust him with my life, and I trust him with Elladan's. I will introduce you further when we reach shelter."

Satisfied for the moment, Elrohir nodded in agreement and allowed his body to relax. In all honesty, his head hurt horribly and struggling to get out of Glorfindels arms had not helped matters. The Noldor elf then let his eyes wander over to his younger brother. The second son of Elrond felt a rush of shame at not thinking of Estel earlier, but he had been too panicked in his worry for Elladan to focus on anything else.

Estel felt eyes on him and looked up to meet Elrohir's gaze. When he saw that his brother was awake, if slightly dazed, a large smile split across the young human's face and he ran to catch up to Glorfindel. "'Ro!" he greeted his brother enthusiastically. "You're awake! I was so worried."

Elrohir smiled at his adopted brother and returned the greeting. "It is well that you are unharmed," the elf said quietly. "I'm sorry that your birthday has not turned out as we had planned."

Estel's eyes widened as he remembered that he had turned sixteen today. It was hard to believe that it was only this morning that Cylamas and his brothers had poured water on him as an early "present". "Do not worry about it, 'Ro. I'm glad that you and Elladan are alright."

Elrohir smiled and responded "Nevertheless, we must make sure to make up for it when we get home. I'm sure that Ada will not have the party tonight if you are not there."

"Ada!" Estel exclaimed. "He'll be worried when we do not arrive tonight."

"That may be a good thing," Glorfindel said. "Your father will send out riders searching for us, which means that we will return to Imladris faster. It will also be better for Elladan." The Balrog Slayer then shook Elrohir, who had closed his eyes. "Stay awake penneth. We need to make sure you do not have a concussion."

Elrohir's eyes fluttered open. "Sorry, Glorfindel," the younger twin whispered quietly. "I'm just tired and my head will not stop pounding."

"I know" Glorfindel replied sympathetically. "But we will reach shelter soon. You must stay awake until then."

True to Glorfindel's word, it was a mere fifteen minutes before the group came across a cave. By this time Elrohir was struggling to keep his eyes open, and Glorfindel had to constantly shake the younger twin to make sure he was awake. As they entered the cave, Glorfindel set Elrohir on the floor and motioned Estel over. As the young human approached, the strange elf, who up to this point had been completely silent, carefully lay Elladan down and mumbled something about making sure the cave was safe.

"I need to care for Elladan," Glorfindel told Estel. "I want you to check Elrohir for a concussion, and make sure he stays awake."

"I will," Estel assured the Balrog Slayer. "Glorfindel," he began hesitantly, glancing in the direction that their saviour had walked. "Who is he?"

"This is not the time for that" Glorfindel chided gently. "I need you to trust me and do as I ask. Do you understand?"

Estel nodded reluctantly. Even though he still did not trust the stranger, he trusted Glorfindel's judgement, and that would have to do for now. The young human knelt down beside his brother and tried to grab his attention. "Ro? Could you look at me please?"

Elrohir's eyes, which had seemed so clear earlier as he had helped Estel track down the deer, were now clouded and confused. He squinted at his brother who was looking at him with a worried expression. "Estel? Where are we?"

Estel signed. Elrohir not remembering where he was when he had been told twenty minutes ago was not a good sign. "We're in the cave. Do you remember? Glorfindel brought us here when you and Elladan were injured."

Elrohir attempted to sit up at the mention of his twin. The world spinning around him, though, caused him to lie back down. "Elladan! I remember he was injured! Where is he?"

"Calm down 'Ro!" Estel said soothingly. " 'Dan will be fine. Glorfindel is taking care of him now."

Elrohir searched for his twin, and sure enough, found Glorfindel tending to Elladan's wound. The younger twin was reassured when he saw that Glorfindel didn't seem too worried about the unconscious elf.

Estel saw his brother relax and then added, "See? He's fine. Now will you keep still and let me check for a concussion?"

Elrohir nodded and allowed his younger brother to care for him. Estel was quiet as he tended to the twin, trying to remember everything Lord Elrond had taught him about healing. He felt Elrohir's head and checked his eyes. The human frowned when he felt the large bump and when his brother's pupils were different sizes. He then started asking Elrohir questions, making sure the elf remembered everything from his family to his recent activities. Luckily, Elrohir's memory was intact, even if it took him a while to remember the events before and after the attack.

"Estel?" Elrohir questioned hesitantly, unsure if his memory was completely true. "Was there another elf with us? One who was carrying Elladan?"

The human sighed, not wanting to worry his brother about the suspicious elf. "Yes there was. He is exploring the cave right now and making sure there are no dangers here."

"Who is he?"

"I do not know, gwador-nin. Glorfindel says that he's a friend. I have not been given his name, nor seen his face. He has an incredible fighting style though," Estel added thoughtfully, thinking about the efficient manner in which their savior had dispatched the orcs. "He was the best archer I've ever seen. He shot some orcs straight through the eye without even looking at them. And he was just as good with his knives. He fought like they were attached to his body."

"Did he now?" Elrohir questioned, trying to remember why that fighting style was so familiar. If only this fog would clear away from his mind!

"Yes, he-"

"As flattered as I am that you admire my fighting skills, it is considered rude to talk about someone behind his back."

Estel spun around around to find the very elf they had been talking about standing in front of him with his arms crossed. All of Glorfindel's pleas for patience flew from the human's mind as his anger rose at the smugness he felt coming off of the elf. "It's also rude to not introduce oneself or show your face."

The cloaked elf started, then composed himself and responded coldly, "I have my own reasons for keeping my face hidden."

"Why?", Estel responded rashly. "Is it because you are the only ugly elf in existence?"

"If I was, I'd still be fairer than any of your vile race."

"ENOUGH!" Elrohir shouted, stopping what was about to be a duel to the death. "Enough" he said again, whispering this time. Estel turned to his brother to make an angry retort, but stopped when he saw the tears in his brother's eyes as the second son of Elrond looked at the hooded elf. "I know you", he whispered to his savior. "I may not have heard it in ten years, but I still recognize your voice." Elrohir then swallowed thickly. "How? You're supposed to be dead."

Glorfindel, who had stood up at the sounds of a fight, stepped back and watched the confrontation with apprehension and uncertainty.

The elf had stiffened at the beginning of Elrohir's speech, but was now completely relaxed, as if he was resigned to this conversation. "You're right," the elf said calmly. "I should be dead." He then raised his arms to lower his hood. "But I'm not." And Estel gasped as he was confronted with a pair of deep blue eyes.

**So, that was the chapter. I've already started on the next one, so hopefully chapter five will come out sooner. Also thanks once again to The Melanarchist for beta-ing. And speaking of my amazing Beta, she's writing her own LOTR story. It's called A Chance Encounter, and has lots of Aragorn and Legolas angst. You should go check it out.**

** Please, Please, Please Review!**


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